Who does not love a great story? How can you effectively use storytelling in your presentations?
The power of storytelling is to inspire, entertain, teach and think. There are different approaches to storytelling in presentations.
One approach that can be used powerfully is the Use of Metaphors. A metaphor is a figure of speech that helps explain an idea or make a comparison. Metaphors speak directly to our imagination. It bypasses the rational brain, taps into the unconscious and creates a rich, perceptual experience for the audience. Metaphors can make your subject relatable to the audience.
A Metaphor that impacted me from childhood is “All the World’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and entrances;” by William Shakespeare.
Let me share a short example of how one could use it in presentations. A speaker talking about Organisational Change and the resistance to change could use a metaphor like ‘A metamorphosis from a caterpillar to a butterfly’ and how a beautiful vibrant butterfly emerges from the worm caterpillar.
Metaphors that you use would vary depending on your audience.
The next time you think of connecting to your audience and want the message to resonate at an unconscious level, how about using metaphors?